Varsity Softball Takes Home Division IV State Title
Portsmouth Christian Academy defeated Mascenic Regional 5-3 on Saturday, June 10th, to win the NHIAA Division IV State Championship.
Mascenic Regional fired up the offense in the first inning, scoring the game’s first run following an E. Pearson double.
In the bottom of the second inning, Portsmouth Christian Academy tied things up at one with Eliza Arwood coming across the plate on a passed ball.
Portsmouth Christian Academy pulled away for good with three runs in the third inning. Elizabeth Pelletier began the charge by taking a walk in the lead-off spot. Liahna Messier then singled to center field, stretching it into a double off a throwing error. Next at-bat, Eliza Arwood singled to center field, bringing home Pelletier from third. Khloe Mackenzie then singled to center to bring Messier and Arwood across the plate.
In the fourth, Mascenic would attempt to cut the deficit off a double from K. Davis, then a single from D. Traffie which brought the score to 4-2. Messier would snuff out any more offense from Mascenic, striking out the next two batters and leaving things at 4-2.
The Lady Eagles would add a run in the bottom of the 4th thanks to heads-up baserunning from Elizabeth Pelletier, stealing two bases on errors. Great pitching and solid defense would help PCA hold on for the remainder of the game, with Messier striking out 8 and only allowing 5 hits on the day.
K. Davis was in the pitcher’s circle for Mascenic Regional. Davis went six innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and striking out three.
Portsmouth Christian Academy had nine hits in the game. Arwood and Kora Mackenzie each managed multiple hits for Portsmouth Christian Academy. Arwood led Portsmouth Christian Academy with three hits in three at bats. L. St. John went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead Mascenic Regional in hits.
Senior co-captain, Liahna Messier, talked about all that softball has given to her as she closes out her high school career.
“From a young age, softball became a sport that allowed me to give my all and dedicate myself to something. In return, softball has given me much more back. I have gained a lifetime of memories and friends. To finish my senior year at PCA with a championship is amazing. Our team had a young core, and finishing this year on top gives them a ton to be proud of and a standard to repeat again next season.”
Junior co-captain, Khloe Mackenzie, said the team’s young core was a major part of the Lady Eagles’ postseason success.
“Lexi, Eliza, and Elizabeth played huge roles for us this year in the field, in the box, and bringing energy when we needed it the most.” said Mackenzie.
8th grader, Lexi Jordan, was the #2 option for PCA on the mound, pitching 37.2 innings with a stellar ERA of 2.41. Jordan backed up All-State pitcher and Gordon College signee, Liahna Messier, who struck out 80 and maintained a 2.76 ERA in 58.1 innings-pitched.
In the batter’s box, PCA was paced by Khloe Mackenzie and 8th grader, Eliza Arwood, with Mackenzie batting .464 with 26 RBI and Arwood batting .451 with 20 RBI. Elizabeth Pelletier, a classmate of Eliza, was fourth in the lineup with a .380 batting average. Pelletier and Arwood would combine for 4 hits on 6 at-bats in Saturday’s state championship, serving as 4 runs of the Eagles’ 5 total.
“This was a special team.” said Varsity Softball Coach, Mark McGuire.
“To go 18-2 (pre, regular, and post-season) is a true accomplishment. I am very proud of their growth as players and as young women. Our season was not perfect but, when we got knocked down, we got back up. We came back better by working harder, improving our game, and learning that getting knocked down is part of life, getting back up is part of winning. My goal was to build a coaching staff that would lift these girls up, a team that was able to have fun, and improve to a point where we could go back to the state championship game and win. I could not have wished for a better group of players that, I hope, had a season they will remember, not just for the wins and the trophy but for the times we had as a team at practice, on the bus, and eating out. I want to thank my coaches, my players, the parents, and the school for a great year and for allowing me the privilege to coach this team.”
The Lady Eagles aren’t looking like one-hit wonders either. Despite Messier heading off to college this fall, Mackenzie, Jordan, Pelletier, and Arwood will all be returning for another run at the state title next season.